6 Things I learned about myself from pop punk music

Be true to yourself, own up to your weirdness and quirks, and don’t be afraid to show your true colours. You can try and pretend to be someone you’re not (hello, intimidated first-year self…), but in the end being confident with who you truly are and not being afraid to pursue what you’re truly passionate about will benefit your self-esteem by a drastic amount. The more you show off who you really are, the more you’ll find others who are unafraid to do the same.

Challenge: Put yourself out there and join a club you’re interested in!

2) “I still pick my friends over you.” - My Friends Over You – New Found Glory

Putting a clear focus on where your priorities lie and where your relationships to everyone in your life on a regular basis come into the bigger picture. Consider significant other, coworkers, your best friend from high school, your ever-increasing friend group during your time in post-secondary studies. Evaluate all of these and if you’re feeling uncomfortable in a situation or you simply need to say “no” to someone (we can’t please everyone all the time), speak up!

Challenge: Hit up an old friend and reconnect over coffee.

3)“This is my reaction to everything I fear.”- Weightless – All Time Low

Own up to your own feelings and know yourself well. It’s important to keep yourself in check and take a breather to figure out who you truly are as a person… that’s part of life! Know your comfort zones when it comes to relationships, activities, specific situations. Don’t panic, breathe, and things will work themselves out. We’re meant to go through hard times and meant to challenge ourselves on a regular basis, it’s what makes us resilient and strong.

Challenge: Do something small to push yourself out of your comfort zone.

4) “Sometimes my mind plays tricks on me.”- Basket Case – Green Day

This one is point blank one of the most important to me. I personally own up to overanalyzing my interactions with friends and people in my daily life, and can sometimes read way too much into situations or things that are said to me or that I have said. Before your mind gets to that point of confusion and spinning thought processes, take a step back and clear your head before you shoot off that text apologizing and making a situation more awkward than it needs to be. Another tip? Sleep is a wonderful healing thing… try to avoid pulling all-nighters.

Challenge: Take a nap in the middle of the day. Make time for yourself.

Listen, if we could all be good at everything all the time, there would be no point in gaining an education or using teamwork and collaborative skills to accomplish common goals. This can prove to be a hard pill to swallow for many, but know your skills and assets and where you need improvement. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there even if you’re afraid to fail, because chances are you’ll learn from the opportunity. Learn to accept constructive feedback and grow from it.

Challenge: Pick up that journal you haven’t used in forever and write something

This can be a truly tricky lesson to learn, but accept your personal challenges with a positive outlook and don’t be hard on yourself when you make a mistake. Spending a night crying in your room trying to figure out what you did wrong in a situation or avoiding certain areas or people because you’re afraid you are the reason for something going sour isn’t going to help you grow as a person and it definitely takes a negative toll on your personal emotional health. Know yourself and utilize methods of self-care in order to avoid burning out.

Challenge: Do something that makes you smile. Make someone else smile too.